Bahamas: Man charged for injuring police officer
A man seen fighting a police officer in a viral video was yesterday sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment with effect from July 8.
Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt imposed the sentence after Julian Butler apologized to PC 4233 Tyrese Smith for his actions in court.
Ferguson-Pratt said she “shuddered to think” about what could have happened if off-duty Sergeant 3395 Travis Strachan hadn’t come to the officer’s aid.
She said that Butler faced a potential maximum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment, but she did not think that the “factual matrix” warranted the maximum.
She said, “I want to send a clear message to would-be offenders that this is not a matter where the court would just say naughty boy, don’t do it again.”
In addition to the prison term, Butler was fined $1,000 or four weeks in prison for the traffic offences he committed during the police pursuit that preceded him beating up the officer.
Butler, 23, admitted various criminal and traffic offences related to the July 5 incident at his arraignment last week.
A traffic stop for running the traffic light at Cordeaux Avenue around 2:30 p.m on a scooter resulted in Butler leading Smith on a chase in traffic to avoid a ticket.
The chase ended when Butler fell off his scooter as he tried to cross the Tonique Williams Darling Highway median.
Butler then charged at the officer and punched him multiple times in the face. Butler also tried to grab the officer’s 9mm pistol from its holster.
Off-duty officer Sergeant 3395 Travis Strachan was in his private car when he saw his colleague under attack.
He ran to the scene and ordered Butler to stop while holding his firearm in the low-ready position.
Butler was subsequently arrested and charged.
He pleaded guilty to assaulting a peace officer, resisting arrest; driving in a manner dangerous to the public; driving a vehicle without third-party insurance coverage, and driving a vehicle without a valid driver’s license.
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